STUDYSMART

CHEMISTRY FORM 4
CHAPTER 3 : CHEMICAL FORMULAE AND EQATIONS

3.1 Understanding and applying the concepts of relative atomic

mass and relative molecular mass
3.2 Analysing the relationship between the number of moles
with the number of particles
3.3 Analysing the relationship between the number of moles of
a substance with its mass
3.4 Analysing the relationship between the number of moles of
and the volume of gas
3.5 Synthesising chemical formulae
3.6 Interpreting chemical equations
3.1 UNDERSTANDING AND APPLYING THE CONCEPTS OF RELATIVE ATOMIC MASS AND RELATIVE
MOLECULAR MASS

RELATIVE ATOMIC MASS (RAM) Ar

A single atom is two small and light and cannot weighed directly
The best way to determine the mass of a single atom is to compare its mass to the mass
of another atoms of an element that is used
Hydrogen was the first element to be chosen as the standard for comparing masses
because the hydrogen is the lightest atom with a mass 1.0 a.m.u. (atomic mass unit)
Example

The masses of 1 helium atom is 4 times larger than 1 hydrogen atom.Therefore the RAM
of Helium is 4
On the hydrogen scale, the RAM of an elements mean the mass of one atom of the
element compared to the mass of a single hydrogen atom.
Note that RAM does not have any units
The new standard used today is the carbon-12 atom. RAM based on carbon-12 scale is
the mass of one atom of element compared to 1/12 mass of an atom of carbon-12
Example

1
Study Smart
www.studysmart.page.tl

RAM of Mg

= 2 (The average mass of one atom of the element)

1/12
= 2.
1/12
= 24

RELATIVE MOLECULAR MASS (RMM), Mr

RMM of a molecules
=
the average mass of one molecules .
1/12 x the mass of an atom of carbon-12
The relative molecular mass of a molecules can be calculated by adding up the RAM of
all atoms that are present in the molecules.
Examples
SUBSTANCE
Hydrogen Gas, H2
Ammonia, NH3
Sodium Chloride,
NaCl
Hydrated
Magnesium
Sulphate,
MgSO4.7H2O

RMM
2 x Ar of H = 2 x 1 = 2
Ar of N + 3(Ar of H) = 14 + 3(1) = 17
Ar of Na + Ar of Cl = 23 + 35.5 = 58.5
Ar of Mg + Ar of S + 4(Ar of O) + 14(Ar of H) + 7(Ar of O) =
24 + 32 + 4(16) + 14(1) + 7(16) = 246

3.2 ANALYSING THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE NUMBER OF MOLES WITH THE NUMBER OF
PARTICLES
WHAT IS A MOLE?
A mole is an amount of substance that contains as many particles as the number of atoms is
exactly 12g of carbon-12
Scientist had determined the number of atoms in 12g of carbon-12. The experimental value is
6.02 x 1023. This value is called the Avogadro Constant.
Avogadro constant , NA is defined as the number of particles in one mole of a substance
One mole of any substance contains 6.02 x 1023 particles
X Avogadro Constant
Number of Moles

Number of particles

Avogadro Constant

2
Study Smart
www.studysmart.page.tl

3.3 ANALYSING THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE NUMBER OF MOLES OF A SUBSTANCE WITH ITS
MASS
Molar mass the mass of one mole of any substances
For substances consisting of atoms
It is the Ar of the element in grams. Eg. Ar(C) = 12, molar mass = 12g mol-1
For substances consisting of molecules
It is the Ar of the substance in grams. Eg. Ar(H2O) = 18, molar mass = 18g mol-1
For substances consisting of ions
It is the Ar of substance in grams. Eg. Ar(NaCl)= 58.5, molar mass= 58.5g mol-1
Calculations Using Molar Mass

Example 1
Find the mass of 0.5 mol of iron atom.
n=m
Mr
m = n x Mr
m = 0.5 x 56 = 28.0 g

Example 2
Argon Fluorohydride gas, HArF, first known noble gas compound, has molar mass of 60g. Find
the number of moles Argon atom in 6.66g of HArF.
n (HArF) = 6.66 g
60g
= 0.111 mol
n (Ar) = 0.111 mol x 1 Ar atom in HArF
= 0.111 mol
X Molar Mass
Number of Moles

Mass

Molar Mass

3
Study Smart
www.studysmart.page.tl

3.4 ANALYSING THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE NUMBER OF MOLES OF AND THE VOLUME OF GAS
The molar volume of a gas is defined as the volume occupied by one mole of the gas.
One mole of gas always has the same volume under the same temperature and pressure. This
volume is known as the molar volume of gases
The molar volume of any gas is 22.4dm3 at STP or 24dm3 at room condition
Example
What is the volume of 1.2mol of ammonia gas, NH3 at STP?
volume = number of mole x Molar Volume at STP
= 1.2 mol x 22.4 dm3 mol-1
= 26.88 dm3
X Molar Volume

Volume

Number of Moles
Molar Volume

IN GENERAL
x Molar Mass

NA
Number of mole

Number of Particles
x NA

Mass

Molar Mass

x Molar Volume
Molar Volume

Volume

4
Study Smart
www.studysmart.page.tl

3.5 SYNTHESISING CHEMICAL FORMULAE

A symbol of a chemical substance using alphabets to represent the atomic presents
The letter H shows
the symbol of hydrogen
The subscript 2 show that
atom
there are two hydrogen atoms in a
molecules of hydrogen gas, H2

Chemical formula can be divided into 2

a) Empirical Formula
b) Molecular Formula
A) EMPIRICAL FORMULA
A chemical formula that shows the simplest whole number ratio of atoms of each element in a
compound.
Example : Ethane, C2H4
Ratio C : H
2 : 4
1 : 2
Therefore the empirical formula of ethane is CH4
Determining the empirical formula in an experiments
In an experiment, a matter X combine with 4.32g of oxygen to form 13.66g of oxides of X. Find
the empirical formula of the oxides of X. [molar mass of X is 32 at STP]
Elements
Mass (g)
No. of mole

Ratio of
moles
Simplest
ratio

X
13.66g 4.32g
= 9.34g
9.34g
32
= 0.18
0.18
0.18
=1
1x2
=2

O
4.32g
4.32g
16
= 0.27
0.27
0.18
= 1.5
1.5 x 2
=3

Therefore the empirical formula is X2O3

B) MOLECULAR FORMULA
The actual number of atom of each element in one molecules of the compound.
Molecular Formula = (Empirical Formula)n
n is a positive integer.
Example
The empirical formula of compound X is CH2 and relative molecular mass is 56. Find the
molecular formula.

5
Study Smart
www.studysmart.page.tl

SOLUTION
Total Ar in empirical formula
= (1 x 12) + (2 x 1)
= 14
Mr = 56
n = Mr
Ar
= 56
14
=4
Molecular formula, (CH2)4
= C4H8
Ionic Formula
CATIONS
Sodium ion
Potassium ion
Zinc ion
Magnesium ion
Calcium ion
Iron (II) ion
Iron (III) ion
Copper (ii) ion
Ammonium ion
Hydrogen ion
Aluminium ion
Lead (II) ion
Silver ion

FORMULA
Na+
K+
Zn2+
Mg2+
Ca2+
Fe2+
Fe3+
Cu2+
NH4+
H+
Al3+
Pb2+
Ag2+

ANION
Chloride ion
Bromide ion
Iodide ion
Oxide ion
Hydroxide ion
Sulphate ion
Carbonate ion
Nitrate ion
Phosphate ion
Thiosulphate ion

FORMULA
ClBrIO2OHSO42CO32NO3PO43S2O32-

Chemical Formulae for Ionic Compound

Chemical formula of ionic compound comprising of the ions Xm+ and Yn- is by exchanging the
charges on each elements. This formula obtained wil be XnYm
Example
Sodium Oxide
Na+
O2+1
-2
2
Na2O

6
Study Smart
www.studysmart.page.tl

Activity 1
Write the empirical formula for the common compound
Cl-

Br-

I-

O2-

OH-

SO42-

NO3-

S2O32-

Na+
K+
Zn2+
Mg2+
Ca2+
Fe2+
Fe3+
Cu2+
NH4+
H+
Al3+
Pb2+
Ag2+
3.6 INTERPRETING CHEMICAL EQUATIONS
Equation Using Symbol
Reactant and product are represented by chemical formulae and have certain meaning.
SYMBOL
+

(s)
(l)
(g)
(aq)

MEANING
Saperating 2 reactant / product
Produces
Reversible Reaction
Solid state
Liquid state
Gas state
Aqueous state

Writing balance chemical equation

STEP 1 Write the correct formulae for each reactants and product
STEP 2 Determine the number of atoms for each elements
STEP 3 - Determine the number of atoms for each elements by adjusting the coefficient in front
of the chemical formula
Example
Magnesium + Oxygen Magnesium oxide
2Mg
+ O2

2MgO
Elements LEFT RIGHT
Mg
2
2
O
2
2

7
Study Smart
www.studysmart.page.tl

Quantitative Aspect of Chemical Equation

Example
Reaction between hydrochloric acid and zinc
2HCl + Zn ZnCl2 + H2
2 mol 1 mol
1 mol
1 mol
2 unit 1 atom
2 unit
1 molecules
Numerical problem involving Chemical Equations
Calculation steps
STEP 1 Write a balance chemical equation
STEP 2 Write the information from the question below the question
STEP 3 Change the information in step 2 into moles by using the relationship of number of
moles.
STEP 4 Use the relationship between number of moles of substance involved in step 3 to find
the answer
STEP 5 Change the information to the unit required in the question.
Example
Calculate the mass of zinc required to react with excess hydrochloric acid to produce 6dm3 of
hydrogen gas at room temperature.
[RAM : Zn,65 Cl,35.5 Molar Volume, 24dm3mol-1 at room temperature]
SOLUTION
Zn
+
2HCl

ZnCl2
+
H2
Mass = ?
6 dm3
Num of moles of H2 = volume of gas
molar volume
=
6 dm3
24dm3mol-1
= 0.25 mol
From the equation 1 mol of hydrogen gas needed 1 mol of Zn
Therefore, 0.25mol of hydrogen gas needed 0.25mol of Zn
mass = number of moles x molar mass
= 0.25 mol x 65 g mol-1
= 16.25 g

8
Study Smart
www.studysmart.page.tl